Massive gathering in Stadium Kelana Jaya

Pakatan rally last night, the first after the general election ended on Sunday recorded the presence of over 120,000 people.

Collection named "The Voice of the People Voice Keramat ', it brings people to hear his message Permatang Pauh MP Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on the last election that allegedly laden with fraud and dubious matters

Drizzle which started at 7 pm and continued almost all night is not directly inhibit the spirit of the people who thronged the Kelana Jaya Stadium as early as 6.30 pm.

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Suhakam finds excessive force and misconduct by cops in Bersih rally

Suhakam’s report says the police used disproportionate force during and after the arrest of participants of the Bersih rally for free and fair elections last April 28.

The police used disproportionate force during and after the arrest of participants of the Bersih rally for free and fair elections last April 28, the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) said today.

In releasing its report following a three-man panel’s public inquiry into the rally, Suhakam also noted other violation of human rights, including the freedom of media and freedom of expression.

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Bersih urged to sue Putrajaya over ‘witch hunt’

Bersih 2.0 led tens of thousands to demand for free and fair elections in the capital city on July 9 last year

Electoral reform group Bersih 2.0 should sue the federal government for its “witch hunt” last year against those sporting the group’s signature yellow, DAP MP Tony Pua said today after a High Court here declared it a lawful society.

The authorities became the “butt of international jokes” at the time, Pua added, when premises and vehicles were searched for “illegal” yellow shirts and other Bersih 2.0 paraphernalia.

“The civil society group and its associated organisations will have a legal basis now to claim redress from both the Home Ministry and the Royal Malaysian Police (RMP) for damages, harassment, embarrassment and loss of property,” he told The Malaysian Insider via Blackberry Messenger.

Cops called Bersih protester ‘Chinese pig,’ Suhakam panel told

A tuition teacher has alleged that a policeman took his gold chain and assaulted him while he was subjected to racial slurs by other officers after he was arrested here on April 28, the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) inquiry into violence at the Bersih rally for electoral reforms heard today.

“The policeman tugged at my gold chain. I struggled as the chain cut at my neck but managed to unlock the chain eventually.

“I tried to put the chain in my pocket but the cop took it away and hit me for doing so. The more I fought, the harder I was hit,” said Leong Siew Meng, 34, a tuition teacher from Subang Jaya.

The alleged incident happened in front of the Royal Selangor Club here.

Leong also told the panel that policemen uttered racial slurs at him.

“The cop did not handcuff me. He called me an ‘arrogant being’ and ‘Chinese pig’ along the way to the club.”

Graduate’s eyesight damaged by tear gas canister, Suhakam panel told

A mechanical engineering graduate has alleged that he sustained permanent damage to his eyesight after he was hit by a tear gas canister fired by riot police at Berish protestors on April 28, a Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) inquiry into violence at the Bersih rally for electoral reforms heard today.

Asrul Wadi Ahmad, 26, from Kepala Batas, said he was looking for his father outside the Majid Jamek mosque here after performing his prayers when the gas canister suddenly hit him, injuring his right eye.

“It was chaotic outside the mosque as I was trying to call my father on his mobile phone when I was hit by the canister.

“My right eye was bleeding and a few people managed to carry me into a building where I saw many medical officers. I do not know what building it was,” Asrul added.

Due to the injury, Asrul claimed that the vision on his right eye has dropped to 15-20 per cent, and this has cost him his chance of getting employed.

Don’t appeal court ruling, Bersih tells Putrajaya

Members of the police force guard the front gate of the Bersih 2.0 headquarters during the raid of the secretariat in PJ last year.

Bersih 2.0 has urged Putrajaya not to appeal today’s court ruling on its legal status and instead return all the materials it confiscated last year when the group was declared unlawful.

The 84-member electoral reforms group also asked that the government withdraw all civil suits against it in court, saying it was a waste of public funds.

“We recognise that the government has a right to appeal today’s decision but for the sake of our country, we sincerely ask them not to pursue with an appeal and to drop all the civil suits against us.

“Instead, we hope that the government will take cognisance of the political realities in our country and deal with Bersih 2.0 as a legitimate representative of the interests and demands of the people for free and fair elections,” the group said in a statement from its steering committee members here.

The Kuala Lumpur High Court decided today to quash Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein’s order last year and declare Bersih 2.0, a coalition of over 84 non-governmental organisations, a legal entity.

In her ruling, High Court judge Datuk Rohana Yusof had said the coalition of civil societies known as Bersih 2.0, though not officially registered, can be considered a society under the Societies Act.

“The minister’s order is quashed because Bersih is a lawful society,” Justice Rohana said.

Baharudin inquest decision on September 14

A file photo of Baharudin’s relatives with his picture.

The Coroner’s Court today fixed September 14 to deliver its decision on the inquest into the death of taxi driver Baharudin Ahmad who died while participating in the Bersih 2.0 rally on July 9, last year.

Coroner Zulkpli Abdullah set the date after hearing submissions from both the prosecution and defence (representing Baharudin’s family).

Thirty-five witnesses testified in the inquest which began on January 30 this year.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Ahmad Ishrakh Saad in his submission said Baharudin passed away due to a heart attack after fleeing from Jalan Ampang to the Avenue K building when police and Federal Reserve Unit warned the crowd at the Bersih 2.0 rally to disperse.

Malacca MCA dismisses rumours about its Wanita chief

Malacca MCA has dismissed unfounded postings in the cyberspace that it has ousted its Wanita chief Datuk Kian Sit Har for supporting Bersih 3.0 rally that was held at Dataran Pahlawan here on April 28.

State MCA chief Datuk Gan Tian Loo said the news of her purported sacking had gone viral in the cyberspace after it was posted by certain irresponsible individuals claiming that the party here had removed Kian from her seat due to her participation in the rally.

“The postings are totally untrue,” he said in an interview here on Monday.

Gan said the issue about Kian's participation arose when the Ex-Assemblymens Association (Mubarak) of Malacca called her to step down as the party's Wanita chief.

“As for us, she still is the party's Wanita chief and we have not sacked her although we were asked to do so,” he said.

Perkasa wants Singapore envoys expelled over Bersih rally

Malay rights group Perkasa today demanded that Singapore withdraw three of its diplomats accused by local right-wing groups of being involved in the April 28 Bersih rally here despite the republic denying the charge.

Perkasa president Datuk Ibrahim Ali today led 300 supporters to submit a protest note to the Singapore High Commission at Jalan Tun Razak, in a move that appeared to be from an old playbook of using the republic as a bogeyman to unite the Malays.

Umno has previously targeted Singapore to rally Malays against perceived foreign threats, with Perkasa’s focus on Singapore — despite the presence of diplomats from other countries — suggesting a strategic move given the general antipathy here towards the republic.

Food, trees, overtime top City Hall’s claims from Bersih

Barriers are seen at Dataran Merdeka on the eve of the Bersih rally in Kuala Lumpur April 27, 2012

The Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) wants electoral watchdog group Bersih to pay for its officers’ meals and overtime claims on top of damaged trees and barricades used to block off demonstrators from taking part in the April 28 peaceful sit-down protest at Dataran Merdeka.

These were among the compensation charges totalling RM351,203.45 the local authority had demanded in an official letter sent out yesterday to Bersih chief Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan and steering committee member, Maria Chin Abdullah.

“Due to the Bersih 3.0 assembly, the Mayor had incurred the following losses, to which you are responsible as the organizers of the assembly,” the letter of demand dated June 18 said.

'No cover-up in rally death' in Bersih 2.0

There was no attempt to cover up the death of taxi driver Baharudin Ahmad during last year's Bersih 2.0 rally, a top city policeman told an inquest yesterday.

Kuala Lumpur deputy police chief Datuk Amar Singh also denied that he was shaken up when he heard about Baharudin's death.

"If I was shaken up by the death, then I am not fit to be the deputy chief of police."

Six Bersih members file counter claim against Govt

Six Bersih steering committee members have filed a counter claim over the Government's suit against them for damages worth RM122,000 incurred during the April 28 rally.

Salt, water bottles can topple govt

SALT and mineral water bottles, which were used as “shields” by demonstrators in the April 28 Bersih 3.0 rally, should not be taken lightly because they can become powerful tools to topple the government.



Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz says Bersih demonstrators used tactics similar to the Arab Spring

Bersih not liable for actions of people - Six say Peaceful Assembly Act unconstitutional

Six say Peaceful Assembly Act unconstitutional


BERSIH 2.0 is not vicariously liable for the actions of thousands of persons who attended the April 28 rally, its co-chairman Datuk S. Ambiga said.

She and five other Bersih 2.0 steering committee members have filed counterclaims against the government seeking a declaration that the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 is unconstitutional.

Senior Federal Counsel Azizan Md Arshad told the High Court yesterday that the government had received the counter-claims and statements of defence from Ambiga, Maria Chin Abdullah, Zaid Kamarudin, K. Arumugam, S. Arul Prakkash and Andrew Khoo.

The government had filed a suit against Ambiga and nine others for damage to public property during the April 28 Bersih 3.0 rally.

Hanif panel hit by withdrawals at outset

Two members of Putrajaya’s controversial Bersih investigative panel have rejected their appointments, just as the inquiry begins its probe on violence during Bersih 3.0.

Tun Hanif Omar, who was named recently as the head of a six-man independent panel, said that former Chief Judge of Borneo Tan Sri Steve Shim and Petronas corporate affairs senior general manager Datuk Medan Abdullah have withdrawn from the panel.

“Tan Sri Steve Shim has rejected the appointment on health reasons. Datuk Medan Abdullah has cited the burdens of his current job,” Hanif told reporters today.

“The government will decide on replacements in the nearest time,” he added.

The other remaining members of the panel are: Sinar Harian managing director Datuk Hussamuddin Yaacub; legal adviser to Media Chinese International Liew Peng Chuan and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia psychology Prof Dr Rozmi Ismail.

Putrajaya’s panel has continued to run up against problems since it was announced last month.

Last week, Bersih and the Bar Council have refused to participate in the so-called “Hanif panel” investigating police violence in the April 28 rally for electoral reforms, saying the probe would be “seriously flawed” under former inspector-general of police Hanif’s chairmanship.

Two cops deny assaulting photographer during Bersih rally

Two policemen have pleaded not guilty to assaulting Guang Ming Daily photographer Wong Kin Onn during the chaotic April 28 Bersih 3.0 rally in the city.

Mohd Khairul Asri Mohd Sobri and Shahrul Niza Abd Jalil were allowed bail at RM3,000 each after they claimed trial at the magistrates’ court here.

If convicted under Section 350 of the Penal Code for using criminal violence, they face up to three months’ jail and/or a RM1,000 fine.

Bersih 3.0 : Police car crash in chaos at SOGO

A police car crashed trying to flee angry protestors but then crashed into at least two people.
Two police patrol cars had stopped at the traffic lights on Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman near Pertama Complex.

A male protestor then leapt on the bonnet of one car while surrounding protestors threw stones and water bottles at the vehicle, causing the windscreen to shatter.

When the lights turned green, the driver accelerated but skidded out on control and crashed on the sidewalk outside Sogo shopping complex and hit at least two people, injuring them.

The angry crowd then surrounded the policemen but volunteers from PKR's Jingga 13 formed a human shield around the officers, saying "don't blame them, it's not their fault."

Ambiga says attempted break-in at office

Datuk Ambiga Sreenavasan reported a possible break-in attempt at her office in Damansara Heights here this morning after a staff member found the security box at the premises dismantled.

But the Bersih co-chair told The Malaysian Insider that it was not immediately certain if anyone had made it into her office as nothing was believed to have been stolen.

“But I am more afraid of people planting things rather than stealing things,” Ambiga (picture) said when contacted. “Still, I do not know if anyone came in.”

She said her staff member, who is lodging a police report on the incident now, had made the discovery at about 8 this morning.

“The security box, where you swipe your card to enter, was completely dismantled,” she said.

Deputy minister urges action

Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Heng Sai Kee wants authorities to address the "butt exercise" routine conducted by Malaysian Arm Forces Veteran Association members outside Datuk S. Ambiga's home in Bukit Damansara on Wednesday.

She said that although she too did not support the Bersih 3.0 rally, headed by Ambiga, she felt the action of the army veterans was inappropriate.

"I do not see the 'butt exercise' as sexual harassment. It was more of a nuisance. Nonetheless, the matter should be addressed by the Defence Ministry's Department of Veterans Affairs.

"We are not sure if the routine is part of the army's exercise regime," she said.

However, Heng said that if Ambiga felt the ritual has affected her life or privacy, she could always filed a complaint.

All of us were fully clothed, say army vets

The "butt exercises" event at Bersih co-chairman Datuk S. Ambiga's house was only a form of "healthy exercise" by 10 former army personnel, said the Malaysian Armed Forces Veteran Association (PVTM).

Its president, Mohd Ali Baharom, who was one of the 10, said they did not define their behaviour on Tuesday as sexual harassment as "all of us were fully clothed".

"If she didn't like us being there, surely she would not have offered us drinks. She would have totally ignored us," he said, "but she even spoke with us and accepted a poster we gave her."

Ambiga had reportedly said she only greeted the protesters and offered them drinks because she was trying to emulate Mahatma Gandhi's footsteps in "responding with kindness to those against you".